Project Ethylene Glycol

Sometime around 2003 we started using ethylene glycol as the fuel. This
is cheap, safer to handle than nitromethane and alcohol and doesn't evaporate as
fast. Plus when it is mixed in the right proportions it detonates easier.

I don't remember where I found it but someplace I found an obscure mention of
ethylene glycol as being used in some explosive mixtures. I was immediately
interested but skeptical. One does not think of ordinary car antifreeze as a
fuel. But it is just a hydrocarbon closely related to alcohol (but far
more toxic--it kills countless cats and dogs each year).

I believe it was in December of 2002 that Ry and I mixed up an oxygen
balanced mixture of potassium chlorate, ammonium nitrate, and ethylene glycol.
We mixed it up in my Dad's shop and took it out in the woods for testing. It was
a sticky blob that handled about like warm peanut butter--chunky style. It
wasn't pleasant to work with and I considered not even doing a detonation test
because it was so difficult to handle that I couldn't imagine using it. I
punched a hole in a couple milk cartons of it from about 20 yards away with
7.62x39 rounds. There was no reaction except for the spillage out the back. Just
what I figured. Well, it was worth a try. While picking up the the milk cartons
I noticed that the entrance "wounds" had dark circles around them on the inside
of the containers. It was "trying" to detonate!

My hunch was that if I reduced the fuel it would use less heat for vaporizing the
liquid and would be more likely to detonate. We remixed the remaining material
with more ammonium nitrate and potassium chlorate and tried again. I think one
detonated and the other made a audible "pop" that blew the carton apart but
didn't actually detonate. We were on the right track! Another remix or two and
we had something that would detonate with about the same bullet velocity as the
current mix and was just as easy to handle.

We ran out of time for the day but we left the farm quite excited. Even if it
wasn't any more sensitive than the mixtures using nitromethane and alcohol it
was far cheaper, didn't evaporate nearly as fast, and was less
flammable. Ultimately we carefully did numerous experiments to get maximum
sensitivity and found that in addition to the numerous other benefits it also
would detonate easier. The only downside is that it doesn't begin to use all the
available oxygen. Here is our maximum sensitivity mix:

Sparks from static electricity, fire, smoking, impact of iron/steel tools,
and probably a dozen other things can cause the mixture to
ignite and possibly explode.

If ignited, the mixture can not be put out by smothering. It
supplies it's own oxygen. In fact, it releases more oxygen than it
consumes while burning.

During the mixing process dust and liquids collect on
your table, tools, the ground, and your clothes. This must be washed
off frequently. Not only is it a fire/explosive hazard but it can
'rot' your clothes and shoes. Water works
well.

Breathing the dust and vapors can be harmful.

Skin contact with many of the chemicals can be harmful.

Ingestion of the chemicals can be fatal even if they aren't mixed in the
right proportions and detonate on contact with your stomach acid.